Scottish Fairy Tales and Folk Tales

This book was especially republished to raise funds for these charities & many more...

33% of the publishers profit from the sale of this book will be donated to charities.

This book containing 85 Scottish tales is a treasure chest of classic Scottish Folklore. Compiled by Sir George Douglas, contains not just fairytales but also tales of kelpies, brownies, stories of animals - foxes, crows, frogs and stories of mermen and comic tales as well. Contained herein are eighty-five stories like The Story of the White Pet, The Fisherman and the Mermen, The Seal-Catchers Adventure, The Frog and the Crow, Habitrot, The Wee Bunnock and many, many more.

In the days long before the advent of radio and television, the arrival of a story-teller in a village was an important event. As soon as it became known, there would be a rush to the house where he was lodged, and every available seat--on bench, table, bed, beam, or the floor would quickly be appropriated. And then, for hours together--just like some first-rate actor on a stage--the story-teller would hold his audience spell-bound.

Campbell of Isla, who gathered and penned the Popular Tales of the West Highlands series in the 1870s, records that in his day the practice of story-telling still lingered in the remote Western Islands of Barra. Maybe, just maybe, there are a few alive today who remember this custom being continued at Poolewe in Ross-shire where the young people used to assemble at night to hear the old ones recite the tales which they had learned from their fore-fathers.

So take some time out and delve into this Treasure Chest of folklore and travel back to a period before television and radio, a time when tales were passed on orally--at the drying kilns, at the communal well and in homes.

YESTERDAYS BOOKS raising funds for TODAYS CHARITIES

Excerpt from Scottish Fairy Tales and Folk Tales

RASHIN-COATIE

ONCE, a long time ago, there--was a gentleman had two lassies. The oldest was ugly and ill-natured, but the youngest was a bonnie lassie and good; but the ugly one was the favourite with her father and mother. So they ill-used the youngest in every way, and they sent her into the woods to herd cattle, and all the food she got was a little porridge and whey.

Well, amongst the cattle was a red calf, and one day it said to the lassie, "Gee that porridge and whey to the doggie, and come wi' me."

So the lassie followed the calf through the wood, and they came to a bonnie hoosie, where there was a nice dinner ready for them; and after they had feasted on everything nice they went back to the herding.

Every day the calf took the lassie away, and feasted her on dainties; and every day she grew bonnier. This disappointed the father and mother and the ugly sister. They expected that the rough usage she was getting would take away her beauty; and they watched and watched until they saw the calf take the lassie away to the feast. So they resolved to kill the calf; and not only that, but the lassie was to be compelled to kill him with an axe. Her ugly sister was to hold his head, and the lassie who loved him had to give the blow and kill him.

She could do nothing but greet; but the calf told her not to greet, but to do as he bade her; and his plan was that instead of coming down on his head she was to come down on the lassie's head who was holding him, and then she was to jump on his back and they would run off. Well, the day came for the calf to be killed, and everything was ready--the ugly lassie holding his head, and the bonnie lassie armed with the axe. So she raised the axe, and came down on the ugly sister's head; and in the confusion that took place she got on the calf's back and they ran away. And they ran and better nor ran till they came to a meadow where grew a great lot of rashes; and, as the lassie had not on many clothes, they pu'ed rashes, and made a coatie for her. And they set off again and travelled, and travelled, till they came to the king's house. They went in, and asked if they wanted a servant. The mistress said she wanted a kitchen lassie, and she would take Rashin-coatie. So Rashin-coatie said she would stop, if they keepit the calf too. They were willing to do that. So the lassie and the calf stoppit in the king's house, and everybody was well pleased with her; and when Yule came, they said she was to stop at home and make the dinner, while all the rest went to the kirk. After they were away the calf asked if she would like to go. She said she would, but she had no clothes, and she could not leave the dinner. The calf said he would give her clothes, and make the dinner too. He went out, and came back with a grand dress, all silk and satin, and such a nice pair of slippers. The lassie put on the dress, and before she left she said--

So she went to the kirk, and nobody kent it was Rashin-coatie. They wondered who the bonnie lady could be; and, as soon as the young prince saw her, he fell in love with her, and resolved he would find out who she was, before she got home; but Rashin-coatie left before the rest, so that she might get home in time to take off her dress, and look after the dinner.

When the prince saw her leaving, he made for the door to stop her; but she jumped past him, and in the hurry lost one of her shoes. The prince kept the shoe, and Rashin-coatie got home all right, and the folk said the dinner was very nice.

Now the prince was resolved to find out who the bonnie lady was, and he sent a servant through all the land with the shoe. Every lady was to try it on, and the prince promised to marry the one it would fit. That servant went to a great many houses, but could not find a lady that the shoe would go on, it was so little and neat. At last he came to a henwife's house, and her daughter had little feet. At first the shoe would not go on, but she paret her feet, and slippit her toes, until the shoes went on. Now the prince was very angry. He knew it was not the lady that he wanted; but, because he had promised to marry whoever the shoe fitted, he had to keep his promise.

The marriage day came, and, as they were all riding to the kirk, a little bird flew through the air, and it sang--

The prince turned his horse and rode home, and went straight to his father's kitchen, and there sat Rashin-coatie. He kent her at once, she was so bonnie; and when she tried on the shoe it fitted her, and so the prince married Rashin-coatie, and they lived happy, and built a house for the red calf, who had been so kind to her.

Table of Contents for Scottish Fairy Tales and Folk Tales

INTRODUCTION

THE THREE GREEN MEN OF GLEN NEVIS

NURSERY STORIES

THE STORY OF THE WHITE PET

THE MILK-WHITE DOO

THE CROODIN DOO

THE CATTIE SITS IN THE KILN-RING SPINNING

MARRIAGE OF ROBIN REDBREAST AND THE WREN

THE TEMPTED LADY

THE FAUSE KNIGHT AND THE WEE BOY

THE STRANGE VISITOR

RASHIN-COATIE

STORIES OF ANIMALS

THE FOX OUTWITTED

THE FOX TROUBLED WITH FLEAS

THE FOX AND THE BAG-PIPES

THE FOX'S STRATAGEM

THE FOX AND THE WRENS

THE FOX AND THE COCK

HOW THE WOLF LOST HIS TAIL

FROG AND CROW

THE GROUSE COCK AND HIS WIFE

THE EAGLE AND THE WREN

THE WREN'S PRESUMPTION

THE TWO FOXES

THE BEE AND THE MOUSE

THE TWO MICE

ALEXANDER JONES

FAIRY TALES

THE FAIRIES OF SCOTLAND

THE FAIRY AND THE MILLER'S WIFE

SIR GODFREY MACCULLOCH

THE LAIRD O' CO'

HABITROT

THE TULMAN

THE ISLE OF PABAIDH

SANNTRAIGH

WATER FAIRIES

FAIRY TRANSPORTATION

THE POOR MAN OF PEATLAW

THE FAIRY BOY OF LEITH

MIND THE CROOKED FINGER

THE TWO YOUNG PLOUGHMEN

THE SMITH AND THE FAIRIES

THE LOTHIAN FARMER'S WIFE

REDEMPTION FROM FAIRY LAND

THE FAIRY AND THE BIBLE-READER

THOM AND WILLIE

THE GLOAMING BUCHT

THE FAIRY'S SONG

THE FAITHFUL PURSE-BEARER

THE BROWNIE, THE BOGLE, THE KELPY, MERMEN and DEMONS

THE SCOTTISH BROWNIE

THE BROWNIE OF BODSBECK

THE BROWNIE and THE THIEVISH MAIDS

THE BOGLE

THE DOOMED RIDER

GRAHAM OF MORPHIE

THE FISHERMAN AND THE MERMAN

THE MERMAID WIFE

THE SEAL-CATCHER'S ADVENTURE

THE MERMAID OF KNOCKDOLION

THE YOUNG LAIRD OF LORNTIE

NUCKELAVEE

THE TWO SHEPHERDS

FATLIPS

THE SILLY MUTTON

WITCHCRAFT

MACGILLICHALLUM OF RAZAY

THE WITCH OF LAGGAN

THE BLACKSMITH'S WIFE OF YARROWFOOT

THE MILLER OF HOLDEAN

RONALDSON OF BOWDEN

THE FARMER'S WIFE OF DELORAINE

LAIRD HARRY GILLES

THE MISSING WEB

THE WITCHES OF DELNABO

THE BRAZEN BROGUES

COMIC TALES

THE WEE BUNNOCK

THE TALE OF THE SHIFTY LAD, THE WIDOW'S SON

LOTHIAN TOM

THE PLOUGHMAN'S GLORY; OR, TOM'S SONG

THE WITTY EXPLOITS OF MR. GEORGE BUCHANAN, THE KING'S FOOL

LITERARY TALES

THE HAUNTED SHIPS

ELPHIN IRVING - THE FAIRIES' CUPBEARER

THE FAIRY OAK OF CORRIEWATER.

COUSIN MATTIE

RAT HALL

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Freya Love"A great bedtime story full of magical creatures and fluffy bunnies."

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